[Steve Ahlquist, practical matters]: Embracing the risks and rewards of working for yourself Ep 1281

My guest this week is Steve Ahlquist, an independent reporter who practices what’s known as advocacy journalism. Steve has been covering politics and protest in the state of Rhode Island for well over a decade, first at the now-defunct blog RI Future, then at the news website he founded, UpriseRI, and now on his own Substack, Steve Ahlquist News.
I first crossed paths with Steve at the RI State House in 2019, when I was testifying in support of the Reproductive Health Care Act and Steve was reporting on the hearing. I spent a lot of time at the State House that year, and I saw Steve at every meeting, rally, and march, filming and reporting. This kind of reporting Steve does isn’t the kind that sponsors flock to–and it’s the kind that takes a lot of effort, schlepping, and time. In this episode we cover what drives Steve to show up to the extent that he does and how he makes it all work.
We covered: - What makes advocacy journalism different than traditional journalism
- Why he’s more inclined to interview the protestors outside the State House than the governor
- The advantages and challenges of working independently
- Why an 80-hour workweek doesn’t bother him
- How he makes money
- What his typical day looks like
Reach out to Steve at atomicsteve@gmail.com, and check out Steve Ahlquist News at https://steveahlquist.substack.com/.
For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.
Thank you for listening!

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